Details: Tastings from 40 regional restaurants and music by "Men in Black"

See http://www.moonlightattheranch.com for additional information.

In the 1931 "Dracula" film, Bela Lugosi says, "Listen to them. Creatures of the night. What music they make."

Bela Lugosi, Jr. and Boris Karloff's daughter, Beth, will be sharing the stage with music-makers "Men in Black" at the "Creatures of the Night" edition of Moonlight at the Ranch on Sept. 22.

When I spoke to 74-year old Bela Lugosi Jr. last week, he admitted that he only agrees to one or two personal appearances a year, but on this occasion, not only was he delighted to support the Santa Paula police and fire fundraiser, but also was grateful for the opportunity to keep his father's memory alive.

Lugosi Jr. is tall like his father but favors his mother in appearance. Lillian Arch was the 19-year-old daughter of Hungarian immigrants when she became Lugosi's fourth wife in 1933. The couple divorced two decades later.

Born as Béla Ferenc Dezs Blaskó, the actor who first portrayed Count Dracula on Broadway in 1927 has now been gone for 56 years.

"My memory is still very clear," Lugosi Jr. wrote on his official website (http://www.belalugosi.com) "of the sound of his voice, the look of his eyes, his long stride when he was walking, his interest in me and the magnitude of his feelings — of elation, depression, joy and sorrow. People recognized him, even walking on a dark street, just by the sound of his voice."

Even as a young person, Lugosi Jr. sensed that his father was anything but average. He found that the elder's complicated personality defied description — combining such polarities as devil and angel; royalty and pauper; student and teacher as well as lover of the limelight and devoted family man.

"Above all," Lugosi Jr. continued, his father "put a personal stamp on everything he did from carving a roast beef to playing a character on the stage."

Lugosi Jr. recalls how fascinating he found the graceful, almost ritualistic movements of his father's hands. His role as disciplinarian, apparently, also was unforgettable. When little Bela was naughty, his father's haunting eyes were all that was necessary. "He would just look at me," Lugosi Jr. said, "and it would scare me into behaving myself."

Lugosi Sr. died when his only child was 18 years old, so he missed out on knowing the celebrated attorney his son would become. His legal actions in Lugosi v. Universal Pictures led to the creation of the California Celebrities Rights Act and his victory with the Three Stooges case won copyright infringement protection for the heirs of Curley Joe.

Because of injuries received during military service, Lugosi Sr. developed acute chronic sciatica that doctors were treating with medically prescribed morphine. When the drug started interfering with his work and relationships, however, he voluntarily checked himself into a state facility and, unlike 8 percent who eventually relapse, Lugosi Sr. remained free from addiction.

Lugosi Jr.'s father didn't advise him to become a lawyer, but he did recommend that his son steer clear of acting as a career. As Lugosi Sr. once wistfully noted, "Never has a role so influenced and dominated an actor's role as has the role of Dracula. He (Dracula) has, at times, infused me with prosperity and, at other times, he has drained me of everything."

Yet, the actor who, in midlife, confessed, "I'd like to quit the supernatural roles and play just an interesting, down-to-earth person" did enjoy a distinguished dramatic career in Hungary. Before coming to America, he was a professionally trained stage actor — doing Shakespeare, in fact, as well as touring with the National Theater of Budapest.

In the United States, "The Red Poppy" was his first English-speaking role, but since he didn't speak the language, he single-mindedly memorized the entire script — phonetically. That same determination drove him to educate himself by reading everything from science to religion to music to politics.

In the "Dracula" film, Lugosi Sr. set a standard for movie vampires that remains unparalleled. The "Twilight" series, in fact, seems lackluster in comparison — more like a schoolgirl romance striving too hard to be politically correct — what with vampires barely out of their teens declining to suck all but animal blood, balking at creating more immortals and sparkling like diamonds in the sun.

When I asked Lugosi Jr. if he ever wondered what would have happened if his father had gotten his wish — to play nothing but straight dramatic roles, the lively lawyer had a question for me.